The 2002 survey of Public Attitudes to the Environment in Scotland is designed to provide data on the environmental knowledge, actions and attitudes of a sample of the Scottish population. It is also intended as a baseline for comparative and monitoring purposes against future surveys, and to allow analysis of the data collected by a number of key population sub-groups and by geographic location.
The survey was commissioned by the Scottish Executive, in conjunction with Scottish Natural Heritage and the Forestry Commission. It is the most comprehensive survey of this type in Scotland. A similar survey, but with a smaller sample, was conducted in 1991. Some questions, common to both surveys, give an idea of how attitudes have changed since 1991.
A representative sample of over 4,000 people throughout Scotland was surveyed between February and June 2002. Key findings of the survey were published on 29 November 2002. The main survey report was published on 27 January 2005.
The purpose of this website is to provide results from the survey together with some background to the study and summary information on the outcomes from the survey.
A summary of the methodology used in the survey is given in the Survey Method section of this website. A full Technical Report is also available.
Two questionnaires (A and B) were used in the survey. More details, including copies of the questionnaires, are available in the Survey Content section of this website.
Outcomes of the survey are available in the Results section of this website. These include research findings, giving a summary of some early analysis of the data, and the full report of the survey.
The Data Tables section of this website allows users to download Excel files containing survey findings. The responses to each question in the survey are available.